Chapter 154 : Chapter 154

Chapter 154. Heroes

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍brutal siege seemed to fall into a strange standstill because of Eli’s shocking eruption.

On ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the city wall, at the breach that the Hofgard soldiers had opened with their lives, the surviving Federation soldiers looked at the white-haired figure approaching step by step, holding a longsword wrapped in black Qi.

They ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍only felt a chill rush straight from the soles of their feet to the tops of their heads, and even the hands gripping their weapons could not stop trembling.

Sessen’s ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍head, which had rolled to the side on the ground, silently proclaimed the terror of this enemy.

Fear ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍spread among the Federation soldiers like a plague.

But ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍there were always those driven by fanaticism or despair.

An officer who looked like a squad captain forcibly suppressed the fear in his heart and shouted himself hoarse.

“What are you afraid of?! He is only one man! No matter how strong he is, he is still flesh and blood!

There are so many of us! We can bury him with sheer numbers! Avenge Lord Sessen! Charge with me!”

His shout was like a stone thrown into stagnant water, stirring a ripple.

Some soldiers, provoked by his words, let out beast-like roars mixed with fear and madness.

They mustered their remaining courage, waved their weapons, and swarmed toward Eli!

However, at this moment, Eli’s heart had long since been filled by that cold dark power and pure desire to kill.

Facing the enemies surging toward him, he showed no emotional fluctuation. His pure-black eyes reflected only prey.

He moved.

His figure was like a ghost. He turned sideways, slid forward, swung his sword… Every movement was simple, efficient, and fatal.

Silver, wrapped in black Qi, seemed to have become the fingertip of the god of death. Every swing inevitably raised a spray of blood.

It either precisely swept across an enemy’s throat or directly severed their weapon along with their body.

There were no shouts, no roars, only the calm sound of a blade cutting through flesh and bone, as well as the short screams of enemies before death.

In just a moment, dozens of corpses had been added around him.

Severed limbs lay scattered across the ground, and blood had nearly soaked through this section of the city wall.

He stood there, white hair drifting, black eyes like an abyss, as if he were a demon crawling out of hell.

At this moment, Baron Parr, whom Lucius had sent as urgent reinforcement, finally led two hundred and fifty elite Golden Lion Knights up onto the walls of Dragon Gate, gasping for breath.

When they saw the infernal scene at the breach, and the white-haired figure standing alone amid mountains of corpses and seas of blood, radiating an aura that made hearts tremble,

everyone was stunned, almost forgetting to breathe.

“De… demon! He is a demon!”

No one knew which Federation soldier was the first to break down and cry out, but that shout completely shattered the remaining enemies’ psychological defenses.

They could no longer endure the fear brought by this one-sided slaughter.

After the cry rang out, they retreated toward the siege ladders like a receding tide.

Some were even so panicked that they lost their footing and fell directly from the high city wall.

Eli had actually relied on his own strength to forcibly seal back this fatal breach that had nearly been broken through.

Ron also finally seized the chance to break through the enemies’ obstruction and rushed to Eli’s side.

He looked at Eli’s pupils, which had no trace of white at all, and felt the icy aura radiating from him. A powerful sense of dread and concern could not help rising in his heart.

“Eli…? Are you all right?” Ron asked tentatively.

However, Eli seemed not to hear his call.

His pure-black eyes swept over the still densely packed but now somewhat chaotic enemy army below the city wall.

The desire to kill within him did not seem to have subsided. Instead, it surged even more fiercely.

He abruptly reached out with a blood-covered hand and gripped the cold battlement, leaning forward.

He actually intended to jump straight down from the high city wall and continue his slaughter.

“Eli!” Ron’s face changed drastically.

He immediately lunged forward. Together with several soldiers who reacted in time, he hugged Eli tightly around the waist and arms, using all his strength to drag him back from the edge of the battlement.

“Let go of me…” Eli let out a low, hoarse voice from his throat, and the force of his struggle was astonishingly great.

Ron looked at Eli, who was completely dominated by slaughter, and hardened his heart.

Seizing the right moment, he struck the back of Eli’s neck precisely with a chop of his hand.

Eli’s body abruptly stiffened. His struggling movements stopped, and the light in his eyes quickly dimmed.

Then he went limp and fell unconscious.

Ron hurriedly supported his collapsed body and let out a long breath of relief.

At this moment, Baron Parr and the Golden Lion Knights he had brought finally recovered from their shock.

They immediately threw themselves into battle, helping the defenders stabilize the line and clear out the scattered enemies who were still lingering on the city wall.

Under the multiple blows of Sessen’s death, Eli’s explosive counterattack, and the arrival of the renowned Golden Lion Knights, the Federation allied army’s morale, already low from repeated failed assaults and heavy casualties, suffered a devastating blow.

As for the defenders, they were greatly encouraged by their survival from the brink of disaster and the arrival of powerful reinforcements.

They stubbornly resisted the Federation army’s next wave, which was also its final desperate counterattack.

After that, reinforcement forces from King’s Gate, Steel Gate, and the other gates finally arrived at the Dragon Gate area one after another.

The arrival of a large number of fresh troops greatly strengthened the defenders.

Under the fierce counterattack from both within and without, the Federation allied army, whose morale had already collapsed and whose command had fallen into chaos, finally suffered a complete rout.

The soldiers discarded their helmets and armor, fleeing backward like headless flies. They could no longer organize any effective attack.

After confirming that the enemy army had completely collapsed, Lucius did not hesitate. He personally led all the Golden Lion Knights and every cavalryman he could gather to pursue and kill the fleeing soldiers.

They charged out of the city gates like lions released from a cage and began a merciless pursuit of the routed enemy.

Hooves thundered, blades flashed, and this pursuit continued until sunset.

In the end, only Paul, leading several hundred defeated remnants, narrowly escaped the fate of complete annihilation and fled into the wilderness in panic.

Of course, this glorious pursuit, as well as the many follow-up matters,

had nothing to do with Eli anymore.

Because at this moment, he was still unconscious…

However, his performance in this defense battle that decided Thorne City’s fate, especially his final eruption as though possessed by a demon,

had already left an incomparably deep, even unforgettable, impression on the large number of soldiers and nobles who had participated in the battle.

After the battle ended, all kinds of stories about Eli began spreading rapidly among the soldiers, continuously embellished and exaggerated.

“Have you heard? That white-haired Baron Eli defended the breach by himself and killed more than a hundred Federation bastards!”

“More than that! My brother saw it with his own eyes. His archery was practically divine!”

“The most impressive part was at the end! They say he split that vicious Hofgard leader in half with one slash, man and hammer together!

Hahahaha! I dare say he must have been favored by the gods!”

“The Black-and-White Blade… That is what they are all calling him now…”

“One Against a Hundred,” “Divine Archer,” “Black-and-White Blade,” “Demon Baron”…

All kinds of legendary titles began to become closely linked with the name Eli Pendragon.

Then, during the formal victory celebration and award ceremony held after the war,

Sir Lucius announced all of Eli’s achievements before every Western Frontier vassal and meritorious commander who had arrived.

He then declared that Baron Eli Pendragon deserved the foremost merit in this battle!

As soon as these words came out, the entire hall was shocked.

Only then did many nobles, who had originally only heard of Eli’s bravery but did not know the specific details, come to a sudden realization.

It turned out that not only had he fought bravely, but more importantly, he had risked his life to bring that crucial intelligence!

This merit was truly unmatched by anyone.

What shook everyone’s hearts even more was Lucius’s immediate next announcement.

“To commend his achievements, I, Lucius La Roche, solemnly announce in the name of House La Roche, Guardian of the Western Frontier,

that Baron Eli Pendragon will enter a marriage alliance with my grandniece, Miss Aila La Roche, who comes from a collateral branch of the La Roche Family!”

“After Baron Eli awakens and recovers, I will personally preside over their engagement ceremony.

At that time, I invite all of you to attend.”

This news undoubtedly bound Eli, an emerging noble, completely to the most powerful La Roche Family of the Western Frontier.

His future status and power could already be foreseen.

After that came the rewards for everyone who had participated in the defense battle.

Aside from Eli’s unquestionable foremost merit, many brave warriors also received the respect they deserved, as well as rewards of gold coins and titles.

For example, Count Quintus, who had commanded Dragon Gate from beginning to end with composure.

Baron Ron Hohenzollern, who had fought bravely and stabilized the line at the critical moment.

The son of Count Ponchi, the young Sir Filin Ponchi, who had performed outstandingly at King’s Gate and had even led a squad in a countercharge… and many others.

Lucius personally awarded them, as well as the many nobles, officers, and soldiers who had rendered military merit, the Golden Lion Medal, which symbolized the Western Frontier’s highest military honor.

It was used to commend their outstanding contributions in the Defense of Thorne.

From then on, this Frontier Lord from the Royal Domain—Baron Eli Pendragon—

through his glorious achievements in the Defense of Thorne and his subsequent marriage alliance with the La Roche Family,

truly left behind a widely circulated name and unshakable prestige on the lands of the Western Frontier.

And the news of this great victory in the Defense of Thorne, a battle not grand in scale but profound in significance,

also spread rapidly throughout the Kingdom of Orlando as though it had grown wings.

This exhilarating victory greatly lifted the hearts of the people of the kingdom.

At the same time, it once again proclaimed to everyone the powerful military might of the Western Frontier Army and the unchallengeable authority of the La Roche Family.

However, for Regent Duke Federico La Roche, who was far away in the royal capital, Orlandia,

and stood at the center of the political vortex, this great victory from the Western Frontier brought not only joy.

The stronger the Western Frontier became, the more this regent, who was also Duke of the Western Frontier,

appeared “so powerful that he overshadowed the sovereign” in the eyes of the forces in the royal capital that already feared him, as well as some of the common people.

To a certain extent, the report of victory… instead plunged him into even deeper pressure from public opinion…

The undercurrents in the royal capital seemed to grow even more turbulent because of this great victory in the Western Frontier…